BSP Wednesday expelled former MP Jagdish Singh Rana from the party and suspended his younger brother and sitting MLA Mahavir Singh Rana from the legislature party on charges of “indiscipline and anti-party activities”. The action comes a day after Rana visited Saifai Mahotsava on Tuesday.

In a statement, BSP general secretary Swami Prasad Maurya said Jagdish Rana had been expelled from the party and Mahavir, MLA from Behat in Sahranpur, has been suspended on disciplinary grounds and indulging in anti-party activities.

Rana who was elected Lok Sabha MP from Saharanpur in 2009, had lost to BJP in 2014. His brother Mahavir had been elected an MLA from Behat in 2012. The duo had joined the BSP in 2008, a year before the Lok Sabha elections of 2009.

While Jagdish and his brother could not be reached for comment, a source close to him said the former MP had been visiting Saifai Mahotsava in previous years too, because of personal relations. “Mahavir has been working for BSP in Saharanpur and helped BSP-supported candidate win zila panchayat chairperson’s post in the district. We don’t know why this action was taken,” the source said.